Born To Be A Lady
by SnowLili
Summary: They look for hope as they travel the past—before flowers are fragrant, before the birds sing, before the wind shines, before the moon comes around, before love blooms. Because they were born to achieve their dreams—to be part of the world. [Chap1 Tenten, Chap2 Ino]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So, I'm thinking about starting a Born to be A Lady project, featuring each kunoichi for each one shot. This is my first version—Tenten version. I hope you enjoy it. Disclaimer though, Naruto isn't mine obviously.

* * *

 **BORN TO BE A LADY (TENTEN VERSION)**

* * *

The first time Tenten met Neji was during her first day at the ninja academy.

They happened to be in the same class. He was everything she wasn't. He was genius, cool, calm, collected, popular. Tenten wished she could at least be the slightest like him. But she knew she can't—she's just a kunoichi after all. And kunoichi never surpasses a shinobi. She never tried talking to him though—or rather, she couldn't. He always had a flock of girls around him trying to get his attention.

Somewhere along the kunoichi life, Tenten noticed how lots of kunoichi focuses more on trying to impress the males. "We are supposed to be the flowers that breed the future ninjas. So get your boy before anyone else does," was what a friend told her back in the academy. Apparently, getting a genius boy like Neji to be your husband is a huge bonus for a kunoichi.

For the first few years, Tenten believed in them. Even though she never actually considered Neji in her list—simply because there was way too many girls were after him already. The quota is full. Until the day she learnt about the legendary Sannin, Lady Tsunade. That woman had motivated her to no end. As if her idol was secretly telling her not to be ordinary. She wanted to be like Tsunade someday. As legendary as her.

She stepped out of ordinary belief a year before she graduated.

* * *

"Congratulations to those who graduated," Iruka sensei announced with a huge smile when she passed her exams. "I will now put you into groups of three."

Tenten noticed how a few girls were hoping to be in the same team as Neji. Tenten couldn't care less. She wouldn't mind anyone in her team. As long as she can train to be a better ninja—she had only one goal. She wanted to prove that a kunoichi is a ninja too. They are not just a breeding apparatus to keep the generations going.

"And then Team 3," Iruka continued. "Tenten, you."

"Yes!" Tenten raised a hand, a huge smile plastered on her face. She can't wait to know who her teammates are. She hoped it would be fun for all three of them. They will go on adventures, perfecting each other's skills, help each other and even protect each other. She vowed to herself she will give her life to it.

"Rock Lee," Iruka revealed the second member of her group.

"I'm here, sensei!" a guy with Chinese shirt and thick eyebrows answered almost too enthusiastically. Tenten gave him a warm smile, waving to him cheerfully. Her teammate. Lee had waved with the same excitement. Yes, they're going to train together. Things were good.

"And last is Hyuuga Neji."

Tenten blinked at the last name. She heard a few gasps of protests, complaining about how and why and every possible question there was for a chance to make Iruka change his mind. Tenten saw the Hyuuga prodigy weaving his fingers on the desk, eyes closed as if he was meditating, not even caring a single bit about the fuss around him—even though it had everything to do with him. Tenten wasn't sure what to make of it. She never had the guts to talk to him—he was the epitome of perfection after all—and she wasn't sure if she was ready to start either.

She returned her attention to her teacher when she heard Iruka sighed. "Kids, these team ups aren't chosen by me. We had Hokage meeting for this to balance everyone and no one has the say to change this now. Someday, you will thank us."

Iruka never mentioned that these team line-ups are also for the purpose of giving them hope to bloom into a more mature adult. But Tenten wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

When they first sat to meet Gai sensei, Neji was distant. And she didn't dare to talk to him still. She spared a few times training with Lee, and talking to Neji just a bit of necessary. What she didn't understand though, is why Lee was very stubborn at challenging Neji. They both knew very well, even if she and Lee combined, they would never win against Neji. He was just that—a genius.

"Lee, you just never give up, don't you? Neji is different from us. He's a genius," was what she told Lee when Lee yet again lost a fight with Neji. Neji's expression was as stoic as ever.

Lee never wavered though. He never gave up despite her constant discouragement. It wasn't until she grew up that she realized the harsh fact—she wasn't any different from the ordinary prejudice. She just believed she was.

* * *

Neji was the one who broke the ice between them when he approached her during training with Gai one day. "Spar with me," it was more of a command than a request.

And for a second, Tenten thought he was talking to someone else. "Why me?"

"You are a lot more tolerable than the other two idiotic," was his reason. "Besides, I want to perfect a technique. One of the Hyuuga's bloodline limit. Your weaponry can help me perfecting it."

She helped him perfecting his Kaiten, to the point that her numerous weapons left no marks on him. Tenten realized sooner that she needed to catch up with Lee and Neji if she didn't want to get left behind.

It was one of the sparring sessions that she learnt about the Hyuuga political issue. She saw the curse seal on his forehead, and her fingers were itching to touch it. Does it hurt? Was it permanent? Would it bother him? All questions lingered in her mind, and she saw those once beautiful Byakugan eyes filled with sheer hatred—so much that he might couldn't handle the emotion. It wasn't that hard to see that he was lonely.

Tenten learnt that day that perhaps, she didn't want to be like him.

* * *

She noticed how wrong she was about Lee and Neji when Neji commented about Ino and Sakura's fight during preliminary Chuunin exams. It frustrated her when Neji's prejudice chauvinistic comment concluded that it was simply because Sakura and Ino were kunoichi, which is why their taijutsu were not as strong as a real shinobi. She realized then, that she had once downgraded Lee into the same prejudice. Not anymore though. She was now mature enough not to judge that way.

"It's not because they are kunoichi, Neji," she protested. "It's because they are wearing kids glove. A kunoichi can be a great ninja too," she wished he could open his eyes too. Because there is always an answer in every hope. And because it pained her to see him in such hatred of his own life—his own self.

When Naruto defeated him, Tenten thought he would have been wounded far greater than she thought. She rushed to the recovery room as soon as she can, and tried to rationalize him as much as she could to make him feel better. Because he was her teammate, and she didn't want him to crush. She wanted to protect him—from the world, and from himself.

But when she saw the first sincere smile he ever gave her that day, Tenten knew his view has been perfected.

He can see life now.

How much more perfect can a Byakugan be?

* * *

The day Neji advanced to a Jounin, Tenten thought it was the end of Team Gai. After all, they were all Chuunin now. And Gai and Neji were Jounin. It was just right for them to lead their own team. She felt the bittersweet feeling woven with it. Neji was even more closer to the Hyuugas now—he even had daily training sessions with them. Lee and Gai were as rowdy as usual. But Tenten knew they had each other. For once, she thought she'd be alone.

But Neji chose to stay. And Lee and Gai kept coming back too.

There was nothing more blissful than having their backs again.

Too bad though, Neji gave his life to aid Naruto and Hinata's backs instead. She didn't blame anyone about it. After all, she might would have done the same as Neji if only she was in a closer range to take the blow. And so she didn't cry. She promised herself she wouldn't. Because it wasn't goodbye—at least not to her.

They are ninjas—be it shinobi or kunoichi. Death is inevitable.

She would die to protect them someday too—like a befitting ninja.

* * *

"Tenten, how long are you going to mourn for Neji's death? He's not coming back, stop hoping and open your heart to someone," Ino scolded her the day she turned down a date request. It wasn't exactly a date request actually. The guy had asked her for a training session. The reason why she rejected was because she didn't believe in anyone other than Neji who could deflect her deadly weapons. She didn't want to hurt anyone.

"I'm not mourning. I never did," Tenten gave her friend a small smile. Her fingers playing with Inojin's small ones on Ino's lap. She knew Ino meant no harm. Her friends wanted her to be happy.

They didn't know yet though—that even if Gai was bound to wheelchair forever, even if Neji was six feet under, even if she and Lee cannot go for a mission together anymore for the reason of incomplete team, she was really happy.

"Then why aren't you willing to date someone?"

It took Tenten more than a minute to comprehend the blonde's question. Where did that come from? She thought Ino was asking about her team. Then it dawned to her that apparently, the whole Kohona 11—13 if you count Sasuke and Sai in—was assuming she had dated Neji when he was alive. "I didn't date him," she corrected Ino's assumption. "Neji is my teammate. So is Lee." She just didn't think that marriage is something so necessary.

Although she _did_ love him. But then again, she wasn't an ordinary kunoichi.

She won't spend time to date someone in the middle of a war. At least not when they weren't meant to be.

That didn't change the fact that she loved him though. Because even though he wasn't perfect—even though he wasn't as cool as she thought he was during their academy days—he had taught her to be a better kunoichi. He didn't just perfected his Byakugan when he opened his eyes to see life as it is. He opened hers too. He showed her the world—that prejudice is a choice. That strength isn't mere brutal chakra coated in various ninjutsu. It didn't lie on the fact that you win every battle either.

Strength lied deep inside her heart—when she was able to see the freedom and happiness within the dark cynic world.

 _"I want to perfect a technique."_

She might have been the one who perfected his Kaiten. But alas, he was the one who perfected her life.

If her friends would have asked her if she ever regretted anything over Neji's death though, she would admit there was one.

She regretted that she wasn't given the chance to thank him.

* * *

 **A/N:** So this is the first fic for my Born to be A Lady project. I will write it in a few kunoichi version. Why? Because in Naruto, we can see how the male shinobis mature throughout the series. We rarely though, stress about how much the girls had grown throughout the chapters. Like this Tenten version. Everyone thought Tenten is a mature kunoichi who had a perfect view of life. But we forgot that she too, once had talked down to Lee about his strength, and even fangirls slightly over Sasuke's looks. Yes, those kunoichis aren't perfect. But they have grown and bloomed into beautiful flowers. Even Sakura's growth was underrated compared to Sasuke and Naruto. I want to picture the beauty of their growth here. I'll be writing the other's version soon. Btw, Tenten loving Neji is not canon, but I like implying it. Of course, you are free to think they're platonic. No offense taken. Thank you for reading and please review! Thanks again.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** So to those who have read the BTBAL project with Tenten version would probably understand what I'm trying to convey. This is my second entry on my BTBAL project, this time, Ino's version. Enjoy.

* * *

 **BORN TO BE A LADY (INO VERSION)**

* * *

She was the definition of beauty.

People would call her conceited, but she didn't exactly make that up. She mastered in the knowledge of flowers—ikebana, the scent of nature that was almost too useful in infiltration technique. And then her undeniable beauty blessed to her since birth, coupled by her supposedly mature attitude. She had confidence oozing from her very being, making her the perfect companion to everyone.

When she saw Sakura crying alone being so insecure about herself, Ino decided to reach out to her. It wasn't because of her reputation. It wasn't because Sakura looked pathetic either. Somewhere inside her deepest heart, she would never admit that she was the one who needed help. She was lost in the journey of true beauty, that Ino wasn't sure what she should believe on anymore.

The first time she saw Sasuke, she developed a huge crush on him. Truth be told, it wasn't just her. But the moment the other girls knew she liked him, they eventually backed off. Ino was the definition of beauty after all. There was no way in hell they would stand a chance against her. Sakura was the only one who persisted. "From here on, we are rivals," Sakura said with a definite tone. There wasn't a slight hesitation in her words.

Sasuke was her crush. And despite popular belief, Ino was way too young to understand love. Neither was Sakura. The only drive they had though, was their confusion about crush, and pride.

Ino decided to put up a fight.

Somewhere along the line, they lost their friendship. Ino wondered why she ever did that. But then again, she was too young to understand why.

* * *

"I'll announce your team of three now. So for the next team, which is Team 10, would consist of Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji," Iruka continued to announce the teams he was entrusted to. But Ino didn't give her attention at that time. She was more pissed off at that moment.

"Why are you in the same team as Sasuke-kun?" she protested loudly, feeling irritated at the unfairness. She should be the one in Team 7, not Sakura. She was supposed to be the one close to him.

Ino failed to realize that her two other teammates were actually her old friends. She failed to notice that their compatibility was perfect. She failed to see the equilibrium between them, simply because she was the one who would drive her team to success. What remained in her mind was a thought that she swore she will forever hate on Sakura.

She didn't realize that hating Sakura was merely impossible for her. She loved Sakura way too deep already.

Too bad though, the only time that she realized it was when she witnessed Sakura being beaten by the Sound Village's ninjas in the Chuunin survival exam. Because despite not grasping the concept of kunoichi, attempting some kind of seduction towards Neji in the most futile and cheapest way, the shards of her maturity finally recomposed at the unruly image of the pink haired kunoichi before her.

Sakura looked horrible—bruises everywhere, hair disheveled, cuts and scratches all over her body. Sakura endured. And just by that sight alone, Ino felt her heart broken to pieces. She never felt so. Not even when Sasuke ignored her. She thought there was no pain compared to that.

She pulled Shikamaru and Chouji and jumped out right after. It was then that she realized that there was no way in hell she would accept anyone other than those two as teammates. And it was also the first time she noticed that the bond she shared with Sakura wasn't as shallow to break just because of a man. Needless to say though, it was also the first time she saw Sasuke's dark side. And her heart clenched in pain again.

She decided then; she didn't have a crush on Sasuke. She loved him. That wasn't what surprised her though. What she didn't expect was the love turned out rather platonic. Because he was her comrade. And she loved him, just as much as she loved Sakura.

* * *

Mind Transferring Jutsu. That family jutsu of hers could make you take over someone's body at your will. And the method to it was exerting your influence from the inside of the victim's heart. Ino learned this the moment Sakura fought back to take control of her own body during the Chuunin preliminary exam.

What she wouldn't tell Sakura though, is that she never dived too deep into her heart. She'd like to believe that it was dangerous, because if you dive in a heart too deep, your own existence will start to blur at the edges. But that was just to justify her real reason; she was scared at the warmth of Sakura's heart. She didn't want her to melt her already affected heart.

For the first time, she was scared of Sakura's love.

Ino knew her heart was never in a piece anymore. It cracked when Sasuke and Sakura were hurt, and it never healed when Sasuke left the village. She wondered if someone ever do a Mind Transferring Jutsu to her, will they ever see pass her façade?

* * *

She was already a Chuunin when she first met Sai.

"You are beautiful."

Ino was stunned the moment she heard Sai's compliment to her. It wasn't exactly something new. She had always heard people calling her beautiful. After all, she was the definition of beauty itself. But it was the first time someone had said it so downright fake—with a fake smile. Like the dry dead part of a flower's root, Sai was awkwardly lacking emotion. Ino decided to not take him seriously.

"You should never say things you didn't mean," Ino scolded him once.

* * *

Ino cried again when Konoha 11 decided to kill Sasuke. And even if Tenten was doing her best to make her feel better, she couldn't grasp the fact that Sasuke was now a missing ninja. She denied the fact for years and lived in denial. And when reality slapped her on the face, she thought her heart cracked more.

Her heart was probably irreparable by then.

It crushed when Asuma died.

"You might be bossy at times, but you are also the most compassionate. Take care of Shikamaru and Chouji well," was Asuma's last words.

Ino wondered how much more of a damage her heart can take. She thought she would never be able to take another blow.

And then during the Fourth World Shinobi War, her heart broke into nothingness when her father died.

"We will always be a part of you. Just remember that."

If Ino was given the chance to ask fate about one thing, she would want to ask; where are you trying to lead me with all these miseries? She thought perhaps, just perhaps, she might not want to be called the definition of beauty anymore.

* * *

Two years after the huge war, Sai was sent to an Anbu mission with some other Anbu members. He didn't return. When Konoha received the rescue letter from Sai, Ino felt his handwriting was messy and chaotic with a grief she couldn't hope to grasp. She knew immediately then, that Sai was suffering so badly. She wanted to reach out to him—to tell him that he wasn't alone, that she too had experienced great pain, even if it might not be comparable to the pain he experienced in ANBU. She too was lost in the maze fate created for her. All he needed to do was just to keep calm and find his way out. He'll eventually come together.

They found Sai trapped in the genjutsu so impossible to break, looking so confused and controlled. It was the first time she performed the Mind Transferring Jutsu on him. What she found though was quite shocking to her.

His heart was dark, darker than any places she had ever been. She had never seen a darker heart before, not even the darkest villain she had ever encountered. She knew the consequences of diving too deep into someone's heart. She wasn't sure if her own soul could stand it. But she did anyway. She dove deeper into the darkness, but she never found Sai. This was Sai after all. He wasn't fully aware who he really was himself on daily basis, Ino almost thought Sai had lost himself in the powerful genjutsu.

But Ino knew what it means to be lonely. She had lost her heart to shredded pieces herself. She knew it wouldn't be easy. She wanted to save him. His lonely smiles; because he was hurt, he was constantly worried about the blackness of his own heart. He was suffering in the genjutsu more than anyone else was. And Ino understood that more than anyone else did.

There was no one who can save Sai from that other than Ino.

She floundered through the layers of Sai's heart, and Ino thought she might disappear in his heart. And then she found it—a cluster of pleasant warmth residing deep inside that heart. However, he wasn't the only one Ino saw.

She saw Shin—whom Ino came to understand as someone Sai regarded as his own brother. And then there were their comrades—Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi and everyone else were there. Ino found herself inside. Deep inside the darkness, Ino found her lost heart again—inside his heart. It was like a lone fire burning in the middle of a blizzard.

Ino never met a heart that warm before.

That day, when Ino finally managed to save Sai out from the genjutsu, they all saw Sai's first natural sincere smile. "Thank you, beautiful." This time though, Ino knew he meant it.

She cried for him for the first time—the tears of happiness.

* * *

When they got married, she heard whispers telling she was at it again; chasing after handsome men. Why else would she marry such unromantic emotionless guy for a hopeless romantic girl like her? Long ago it would have bothered her. But right now, she couldn't care less.

He might be emotionless to people, but he was the most passionate man in her eyes. She loved him so deeply that Ino wasn't sure how, why and when that happened. What she does know however, is that she is madly in love with this Anbu guy. He was the root to her flower.

And the moment she gave birth to Inojin, she thought nothing would be even more perfect than her life right now.

She kept Sai's picture book with her. She promised she will show the book to Inojin someday, when the time comes for her son to understand the warmth of his father's heart.

* * *

Not long after, Shikamaru called her for assistance. "Sasuke's going for a very long mission. Can you provide a messenger bird that can travel the furthest?" the Hokage advisor requested.

"Right away. I'll give you one this evening. Tell him to come back safely because I'll kill him if she ever leave Sakura and Sarada again," she joked, but set her mind to get one anyway. Years ago she would have urge Shikamaru to tell her what the mission was, she wouldn't have threaten Sasuke for something in the matter of Sakura. But she finally matured.

She had bloomed into a beautiful flower Konoha could ever have.

She wouldn't ask. She knew it was a very important mission for them to send Sasuke. And if he ever couldn't make it home, Ino promised that they will set out to get him again. Because there was no way in hell she would let Sakura and Sasuke break like before. She knew more than anyone else how hurt that would be.

* * *

When Shino went for the meeting with Shikamaru and Naruto regarding the teaming of the newly graduated Genins—her son included—Ino told him to team Inojin well.

" _I'll announce your team of three now. So for the next team, which is Team 10, would consist of Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji._ "

Because if she was given the chance to go back to that time when she first graduated, she would want to tell her teacher that she wouldn't want to be teamed up with a fleeting crush.

Because if she did, she wouldn't have grown into a beautiful flower her husband had always loved.

She wouldn't have learned about life itself—even if it was her own clan's jutsu.

* * *

 **A/N:** Like I said in Tenten's version, I'm doing this because I feel like the character development of the kunoichi in Naruto series are so underrated. Ino is one too. She had grown so much but barely anyone noticed. This is to commemorate the great kunoichis who had fought alongside the male shinobis. I hope you like this version. Thank you so much for reading!


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